Functional substitutes for tissues found in the body can be produced by combining biomaterial scaffolds, chemical cues and cells in a process called tissue engineering.Since its formation in 2010, my research group has developed many types of biomaterial scaffolds for promoting the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into neural phenotypes for tissue engineering applications, such as screening the toxicity of drugs, learning about how tissues form during development and replacing dysfunctional tissues. These scaffolds include fibrin hydrogels, multifunctional nanofibers that present novel topographies and chemical cues, functionalized microfibers, and microspheres that provide controlled release of proteins and small molecules. My group works with iPSCs, adult cells reprogrammed back into a state where they can become any type of cell found in the human body. These cells can also self-renew indefinitely, providing a continual cell source.